Car-door-operating mechanism



March 18 1924.

A. CAMPBELL.

CAR DOCK OPERATING MECHANISM March 18 v19.24.

A. CAMPBELL CAR DOOR OPERATING MEOHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fraz/antanrgyle mpl Patented Mar. i8, 1924.

lati;

RATON OF ILLINOIS.

Application `filed `December To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that .-I, ARGYLECAMPBE a citizen of tlieUnited States,residing at Chicago, in -theicounty of Cook and4 Stateof 5 Illinois,have-inventeda certain ineweand useful Improvement in-Car-DoorfQperating Mechanism,

clear, concise, and exact description, refer,-V

ence beingl had, .to `the `accompanying drawl ings, forming, partV of.this specification.

This invention. relatesI to improvements.l in car door operating`mechanism.

In certain types ofdnmp; cars, it is customary .to employ deepfbellied.side sills or l girders, thus makingjit exceedingly diiicult to employany of thefusual types ofl door mechanism satisfactorily on `.accountofthe inaccessibility of theparts.

One object` of my invention. is to provide 20 a simple and` efficientdoor lifting and llocking arrangement for.. dump cars which isespecially adapted for those types ofcars having deep .side ,sills and'pivoted floor doors between the sills ,and wherein the V mechanismmustnecessarily be operated at the side of the car.

Another object of my invention is to provide a safety device `foradooroperating mechanisms, which safety device is auto- 30 matically operableto prevent damage to the parts when the doors are suddenly releasedunderl load, which damage might otherwise occur by reason ofcarelessness or ignorance of theoperator in releasing lthe doors.-

InV the drawin speciicatioii,Figiiie 1 is a vertical, longitudinal,`sectional view of a portion of a dump car showing my improvements inconnection therewith, .the section being taken in a plane insideoftheside wall and side sill of lthe car `and looking toward the centersill of the cai'. FigureQ is a top plan view` ot the construction shown.in Figure 1 but with the iixed` fioorboards omitted and the doorsindicated conventionally by dotted lines, in order to better illustratethe door operating mechanism and its relationto the parts ofthe-.carunderiirame.-V Figure 3 is a vertical, `transverse,@sectional viewoli-the CFI ofwhich thei'ollowing is a full,

gs forminga part of this structure illustrated in kFigures 1 and 2 andproved safety device in connection therewith.- --In this ligure, theparts are shown in the position,l assumed. when the-shaft is docked.-..Figiire 5 is a` view similar to Figure ..14 but-illustratingthe-position ,assumed-b ,theiparts when theishaft is released. and thesafety feature operative. And Figure 6 is a vertical,sectional view ornthe sidesill of Y thecar taken at the right of Figure 4 and showing thestructure illustrated in Figure .4, in edgeelevation.

In said drawings, the-car is shown as providedwith a deepebellied sidesill 1 upifcenter sill 1l, side .walll diaphragins orneedle beams 13,111, and 16.-I In the` particularrtype4 of car shown, eight pivotedloordoors would be employed, four on each side of `the centervsill, the four`,doors on one side being arranged in pairs separated by xed- Hoorsections. Only one pair oit-such doors is illustrated in the drawings,Vit being understood that therewill be a corresponding pair transverselyalined therewith` buton ythe opposite side of the center .sill and that.the operating mechanism which l have shown,` is adapted forsimultaneously operating. foundoors. The fixed floor sections areindicated at 17, 18 and 19, theiixed floor section 18 being.`intermediate the two pivoted doors v2() and 21, shown in `the drawings.The floor section Y18 bridges `the space betweenthetwo relativelyAshallow needlebeams l-i and 15, thus affording a suitable cover andprotection for the operatingshaft and other parts ot the mechanismassociated therewith. Thedoor 21 is pivotallyi supported-'bysuitableibrackets 22 secured to the deep Aneedle beamI 13 and the doorfis similarly Isupported bybrackets 22 secured to the shallow needle:beam 16. It will Ybe `noted thatthe doors-20 and 21 arc adapted :to'..swing about axes extending transversely of the car and; that the freeedges of the/.doors are extended toward each .other and engage underfloor platesy 25%23 securedto theedges of the ixed iioor sec- ,.tion18.* I

In .carrying out `myinventicm,lV employ a transverselyextendingnoperating lshaft 24 "whichamounted in suitable'bearings cai'-l,ried bytheside-sill 10 and center sill 11, it being understood-thatthevshaftQ/l extends 2, and pressed `ENTFR-PR-ISE- RAILEVA'Y O, builtnin;

. from sideto sideofthe car. On at least one side of the car, the 'shaft24CV is extended f; through the vside-sill and provided with a square orother non-circular end 25 by which to closed position.

it may be rotated by means of a claw bar or other suitable tool. Foreach pair of doors 2O and 21, the shaft is provided with a pairA ofchain or cable winding drums 2G-26, the drums being rigidly secured tothe shaft. Each of said drums is provided with right and left helicalgrooves 27 to accommodate the oppositely extending cables or chainsindicated conventionally at 28--28 in Figure 1.

Each chain or cable 28 extends over a sheave wheel 29 rotatablysupported on a heavy pivot pin 30 mounted in a pair of flanges 31-31formed integral with a bracket 32 secured to a needle beam 14. Asclearly shown in Figure 3, the flanges 31 of each bracket 32 are curvedand flared toward the winding drum so as to facilitate the passage ofthe chain or cable through the bracket. Opposite each sheave Wheel 29,the bracket is formed with a vertically elongated opening 33 whichalines with a corresponding opening 34, cut in the web of the needlebeam. lt will be noted that the securing flanges of the brackets 32reinforce the needle beams around the openings thereof and thuscompensate for the metal removed.

The ends of the chains or cables 28 are attacliedto eye-bolts 35 whichare horizontally adjustably mounted in anclioicastiiigs 36 secured inline therewith to the under sides of the doors. Each of said anchorcastings 36 is provided with a bell mouth 37 through which the cable orchain passes.

By rotating the shaft in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 4,the chains orY cables from all four doors will be simultaneously anduniformly wound around the respective drums, thus elevating the doorsrlhe doors will be held in closed position so long as the operatingshaft is prevented against rotation in a counter-clockwise direction.fore noted, the floor section 18 covers and protects the shaft, drums,flexible connections and also the sheave wheels 29 and brackets areamply protected against injury during discharge of the load.

To lock the operating shaft, the latter has secured thereto outside ofthe side sill 10, a ratchet wheel 38, as best shown in Figures 4 and 5.The bearing for this end of the shaft is formed on a reinforcing casting40 which is secured to the inner side of the side sill 10, as shown byfull lines in Figure 6 and by dotted lines in Figure 4. Cooperable withthe ratchet wheel 38 is a latch lever designated generally by thereference A. Said lever A is pivoted at its upper end on the pivot bolt41, said bolt 41 being carried at its'inner end by said plate 40 and atits outer end by an outer cover plate 42 which isheld spaced from theside sill 10. Near As hereinbeits point of pivotal support, the latchlever A is formed with a pawl shoulder 43 adapted to engage with theteeth of the ratchet wheel 38 in such a manner as to prevent the latterfrom rotating counter-clockwise as shown in Figure 4. At its lower end,the lever A is formed with a suitable handle 44 and intermediate saidhandle 44 and the pawl shoulder 43, the side of the lever A adjacent theratchet wheel 38 is provided with a lower curved shoulder 45 and abovethe latter with an inclined guiding face 4G. The cover plate 42 is alsoso `'shaped on its edge farthest lfrom the ratchet wheel 38, asindicated at 47, as to provide a pocket or recess, in Vconjunction withthe adjacent edge of the lever A., for a cylindrical arm 48, as bestshown in Figure 4. The arm constitutes an integral lateral extensionfrom a lever 49 which 'is pivotally supported as indicated at 50betweenV the plate 42 and the side sill of the car, it being noted thatthe point of pivotal support 50 is below and to one side of the normalposition of the arm 48 as shown in Figure 4.

rIhe lever A is held in locked relation with the ratchet wheel 38 by acam plate V51 pivotally supported as indicated at 52 between the coverplate 42 and the side sill 10. Said cam plate 51 cooperates with acurved cam surface 53 formed on the upper end of the lever A. Y

As is well known to those skilled in the art, when pivoted dump doors ofa car are released under load, the doors fall very.` rapidly andimmediately begin to spin the operating shaft and Vparts Vmovabletherewith. In releasing such an operating shaft having a ratchet wheel,it frequently happens that tlie operator becomes careless or,

through ignorance, allows the locking dog or pawl 'to fall back intoengagement with the ratchet wheel when the latter is spinning, with theresult that the parts are frequently broken or jammed. To automaticallyeliminate damage arising from the causes mentioned, I have provided thepeculiar shaped latch lever A and the detent lever 49. By

referring to Figure 5, it will be seen that, when the lever A is shiftedto its release position A', the detent lever 49 automaticallyV fallsunder the influence of gravity to the position shown at 49V in Figure 5where the arin 48V thereof engages against the curved shoulder 45 of thelever A, thus positively holding the lever in its inoperative positionand preventing the pawl shoulder 43 thereof' from accidentally swingingback into en-V gagement with the ratchet wheel 38. To prevent the detentlever 49 from swinging downwardly pastthe'shou'lder 45, the plate Y 42is formed with the shoulder 54 which enlil() liti lltl

gages the detent lever 49 and limits it in its downward swinging to theposition shown in Figure 5. rlhe arm 48 of the de- (ro-operable withsaid tent lever is considerably extended as best shown in Figure 6 sothat it may be easily grasped and lifted upwardly and forced home to itsnormal position shown in Figure 4 where it will be noted the same islocked by means of the plate l2 and lever A, when the latter is in turnlooked by the cam plate 51. During the winding up of the mechanism, itis of course desirable that the pawl shoulder 4-3 keep dropping intoplace automatically against the teeth of the ratchet wheel as the latteris rotated clockwise. To this end, the detent lever and latch lever Aare so positioned and weighted that the latch lever A may be swungoutwardly sufliciently to clear the teeth of the ratchet wheel 38 whenthe latter is being rotated clockwise without, however, the detent leverpushing the latch lever A to the full release position shown in Figure5.

.The safety arrangement shown and described consists of few parts all ofwhich may be manufactured at comparatively small expense in the form ofcastings and efficiently performs the desired function.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferredmanner of carrying out the invention but the same is merely illustrativeand I contemplate all changes and modifications that came within thescope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

l. The combination with a shaft having a latch wheel thereon; of a latchco-operable with said wheel; a detent movable under the force of gravityto a position to retain said latch in inoperative position withreference to said wheel; and means on said latch; movable therewith7engaging said detent for rendering the latter ineffective when the latchis in operative relation to said latch wheel, and controlling themovement thereof under the influence of gravity to permit the same tomove into retaining position upon disengagement of said latch from saidlatch wheel.

2. The combination with a shaft having a latch wheel; of a pivotallymounted latch wheel, said latch having an abutment thereon; a detentautomatically movable to position to engage said abutment and retainsaid latch in in-operative position when the latter fully disengagedfrom the latch wheel; and means on said latch between said abutment andthe pivot point thereof engaging said detent to retain the latter inirl-operative relation to said abutment when the latch is in operativerelation with said latch wheel.

3. The combination with a door operating shaft having a latch wheelthereon; of a latch co-operable with said wheel, said latch having anoperating arm; and a pivotally mounted detent supported between the armof said latch and the latch wheel, said detent being movable, under theinfluence of gravity, to a position to retain said latch in inoperativeposition when the latter is moved to fully released position.

a. The combination with a door operating shaft having a latch wheel; ofa pivotallyv mounted gravity controlled latch co-operable with saidwheel; and a pivotally mounted detent having a portion thereof rslidablyengaging said latch, said engaging portion being slidable downwardly onsaid latch under the influence of gravity, to a position to retain thelatter in inoperative position when fully disengaged from the latchwheel.

5. The combination with a horizontally disposed operating shaft having aratchet wheel thereon; of a vertically movable pivoted pawl membernormally influenced under the force of gravity to move to operattiveposition with said ratchet wheel; and a vertically movable pivotallymounted detent engaging said pawl and movable under the influence ofgravity, to a position to hold the latter in inoperative position whenthe same is moved to fully disengaged position from the ratchet wheel.

6. The combination with an operating shaft having a ratchet wheelthereon; of a pivotally mounted pawl member normally gravity-influencedto operative position with said ratchet wheel; a pivotally mounteddetent lever cooperable with said pawl member to positively hold thelatter in full release position; and means for locking said member anddetent in operative position.

7. In a dump car door operating mechanism, the combination with anoperating shaft having a ratchet wheel; of a pivoted pawl membercooperable with said ratchet wheel; said pawl member having a handle anda locking shoulder and normally gravity-influenced to operative relationwith the ratchet wheel; a pivotally mounted detent lever normally heldby said pawl member in elevated position and adapted to fall to a lowerposition in engagement with said locking shoulder of said member` whenthe latter is moved to release position.

8. In a dump car door operating mechanism; the combination with anoperating shaft having a ratchet wheel; of a pivoted pawl membercooperable with said ratchet wheel; said pawl member having a handle anda loc-king shoulder and normally gravity-influenced to operativerelation with the ratchet wheel; a pivotally mounted detent levernormally held by said pawl member in elevated position and adapted tofall to a lower position in engagement with said locking shoulder ofsaid member when the latter is moved to release position; and a lockingelement cooperable with said pawl member to hold the latter positivelyin engagement with the ratchet wheel.

lli)

9. In a device of the character described, to lock said detent leverinvinoperative posiihe combination with an operating shaft tion whensaid member is in operative posihaving a ratchet wheel thereon; of apiivottion. Y ally mounted pawl member eooperable With In witness that Iclaim the foregoing I 5 said ratchet Wheel; a pivotaily mounted havehereunto subscribed my name this 6th 15 detent eooperable with saidmember to hold day ot December, 1921. the latter in inoperativeposition; and a ARGYLECAMPBELL. cover plate extending over seid memberand tnessesz Y detent, said cover plate and member hav- UNA C. GRIGSBY,

'l0 ing cooperating opposed portions arranged ANN BAKER.

